August-September 2021 • Nebraskaland 33
8:06 a.m.
Tiny hoverfl ies were shaking off dewdrops and starting
to feed on grass pollen. I watched this one pause briefl y
in between fl ower visits to, I assume, scan for potential
dangers and wipe stray pollen grains from its legs.
8:18 a.m.
I got distracted from my hoverfl y-watching by this Chinese
mantis sitting in ambush on a goldenrod fl ower, waiting for
the fi rst big pollinator of the day to stop by.
8:25 a.m.
When I returned to hoverfl ies and grass fl owers, I got to
watch this fl y feeding on the pollen in this anther like it was
an ice cream cone.
8:36 a.m.
This was the last photo I took before reluctantly leaving the
prairie on that magical morning. The prairie was drying out,
but this milkweed seed had been in the shade until just a
few minutes before I found and photographed it.
